§ Mr. E. Rowlandsasked the Postmaster-General what plans have been made for the duplication of 625 lines in the ultra high frequency band of the programmes of B.B.C.1 and independent television, and for the provision of colour in the duplicate services.
§ Mr. Edward ShortAs I stated in my announcement on 15th February, the duplicate services, with their colour content, will start in London, the Midlands and the North simultaneously. The first four stations will be at Crystal Palace, Sutton Coldfield, Winter Hill and Emley Moor. They should be transmitting the duplicate programmes, including colour, early in 1970. If all goes well, it may be possible to improve on the starting date. Further stations will be brought into operation as quickly as possible; and by the middle of 1970 the following should be in service:
Area of Service Location of Station Central Scotland Black Hill Isle of Wight and South Coast Rowridge S.E. Kent Dover Nottinghamshire Waltham South Wales Wenvoe Bristol Mendip Oxford, Berks and Bucks Oxford (Beckley) N.E. England Pontop Pike Further development is planned as follows to make the duplicate programmes, including colour, available to about three-quarters of the population 224W of the United Kingdom by the end of 1971.
Area of Service Location of Station Planned date for starting duplicate transmissions Northern Ireland Divis Second half of 1970 Norfolk Tacolneston Suffolk Sudbury East Lincolnshire Bolmont Bedford Sandy First half of 1971 North Yorkshire Bilsdale East Cornwall Carsdon Hill West Cornwall Redruth N.E. Scotland Durris East Lothian and Edinburgh Craigkelly Second half of 1971 Hampshire — East Sussex — Cumberland Caldbeck Selkirk and Berwick Selkirk In each case the coverage attained by the duplicate programmes will compare broadly with that attained by the B.B.C.2 transmissions from the station. —[Vol. 741, c. 531–8.]